Hari Raya Haji

Hari Raya Haji (hajj celebration day) is an event observed by large Muslims community in Malaysia and all over the world to commemorate the willingness of Ibrahim to obey Allah’s command to sacrifice his son Ismail.

As Ibrahim was about to perform, Allah stopped him and revealed that it was a faith test upon him, and Ismail was replaced by a ram instead. And now, Muslims all over the world are performing scarification of four-legged animals such as lambs, goats or cows to commemorate this event. This is why Hari Raya Haji also named as the Feast of the Sacrifice.

The animals are killed according to the proper religious rites and meat is then distributed to the family, neighbours and to the less fortunate in the community. However, making the sacrifice (korban) is not a compulsory religious duty but an obligation for those who can afford it.

Beside the ritual scarification, financially and physically able Muslims are required to perform the hajj pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca. Thus, the holiday of Hari Raya Haji also marks the end of the hajj pilgrimage season.